posted Aug 4th, 2023 - The NSL News reported on July 7th that a high-profile 8-way team would challenge the new Airbus lineup at the upcoming German Outdoor Nationals, which begins on August 30th. The new lineup of the Airbus 8-way team was introduced on January 23rd this year, at a time when there was no serious opponent in sight for the national team of many years. Airbus captain Thomas Spielvogel and his two returning 8-way veteran team mates, Steffen Schiedek and Carl Enders, seemed to have the opportunity to re-build the 8-way team carefully and without any pressure.

The first obstacle occurred when new member Shaline Dincher broke her wrist in May and could not train with the team. Airbus had completed their spring camp at Oceanside in California with her, and the accident happened when the team continued with the training in Germany.

There was still no sign of any serious 8-way opposition and no pressure for Thomas Spielvogel to fill the open slot. The team trained with seven members and used substitutes whenever possible, while considering the options. There was a chance that Shaline Dincher could recover and be back early enough before the national outdoor championship, while the team still needed to find a substitute for a Plan B.

The situation changed dramatically when the new 8-way team, Operation Adler, announced their plans to compete at the German Outdoor Nationals.

FAI Outdoor World Championship 2010			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		3,21,N	6,20,9	E,G,17,5	K,16,2	12,C,22	B,D,M,1	7,15,J	13,L,P,11	4,18,O	10,14,19	Total	Avg
1	France	FR	25	19	16	21	22	25	18	19	23	15	203	20.3
2	Golden Knights	US	23	17	18	20	22	27	20	17	21	11	196	19.6
3	Barkli	RU	20	19	16	17	22	20	18	19	20	14	185	18.5
4	Norway	NO	8	5	6	7	7	7	8	9	10	5	72	7.2
5	Kazakhstan	KZ	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	4	0.4

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Damien Sorlin with the French 8-way team in Menzelinsk 2010

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The high-profile lineup of Operation Adler, consisting exclusively of former Airbus members, became instantly a threat for the new Airbus lineup. Operation Adler would not need much training at all to start right away at least on the same level where Thomas Spielvogel and his returning team mates had guided their new team this year.

Thomas Spielvogel knew that he would need all the support that he could muster, as he knew about the capability of the new 8-way team. All team members were his own 8-way or 4-way team mates at some point in time.

He had already hired French 8-way coach Damien Sorlin to work with the new Airbus lineup. Damien Sorlin has won two 8-way gold medals with the French national 8-way team at the FAI world championships of 2006 and 2010.

The Airbus 8-way team is now getting even more help from France. Gaelle Giesen, member of the French 8-way team at the FAI Tanay Mondial in August 2021, agreed to step in for Shaline Dincher, and she was in training with the team at the most recent outdoor camp.

FAI Tanay Mondial 2020			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		O,19,Q,5		17,B,E,P		H,15,12		M,N,7,F		K,L,C,4		J,18,16		1,9,A		Total	Avg
1	Airspeed XP8	US	20		23		22	-1	23		31	-1	23		24		166	23.7
2	France National 8-way	FR	20		23		25		24		26	-1	25	-1	22	-1	165	23.6
3	Tanay 8	RU	18		21	-1	20		23		26		23		22		153	21.9
4	Qatar Falcons	QA	17		17		19		18		22		19	-1	19		131	18.7
5	Kazakhstan	KZ	5		9		6	-2	10		7	-1	12	-1	12		61	8.7
6	Belarus	BY	4	-1	6		4	-2	5	-2	7		8	-1	2	-1	36	5.1

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Gaelle Giesen with the French 8-way team in Tanay 2021

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Gaelle Giesen trained and competed between 2019 and 2021 with arguably the strongest French 8-way team in the country's Formation Skydiving history. National coach Mathieu Bernier had built a new 8-way lineup after the absence of France in Australia 2018, and he recruited the best talent he could find in France.

His strategy included the two French national teams in 4-way Open and 4-way Women, who joined forces for the new 8-way team. Mathieu Bernier was aiming at two gold medals in Russia, one with the 4-way Women lineup, the other one with the 8-way team. Gaelle Giesen was one of the 4-way Women members, after her position as an alternate when France won 4-way Women gold in Australia.

Mathieu Bernier's 8-way team was one single point behind Airspeed XP8 after Round 7, which turned out to be the end of the competition, due to bad weather. The 4-way Women team was two points behind after Round 6, which was the end of the meet, as well.

The French 8-way project did not continue, and Gaelle Giesen came back with the new lineup of the French national team in 4-way Women, who finished again in 2nd place in Eloy last October. She has not committed to a new French national team and was available when Thomas Spielvogel was asking for the French help from her and coach Damien Sorlin. She may have to compete at the German outdoor championship, as well, if Shaline Dincher cannot return to her slot timely.